TurnOfTheCentury

I wasn't so sure when I first saw the initial press release, but it sure is looking like a very unique ride, and if some of the hills (and maybe some of the inversions?) give good air, it might be a surprise sleeper hit (for me). I also am LOVING the apparent renaissance of lap-bar only restraints for coasters with inversions: the riding experience is so much better. Schwarzkopf had that figured out, but then we went through the Dark Years of Arrow and B&M horse collars. It's so great see RMC, S&S, and even the retrofits on things like Mr. Freeze using lap bars! (I remember Dave Althoff from back in the rec.rollercoaster pre-internet days (1992-ish?) obsessing about proving how lap bars are safer during stalled inversions than over-the-shoulder restraints....)

Yeah, I am also ashamed to not know how close the park is to France. I am really happy they rebuilt the track for the coaster, but I can't say I love the Can-Can theme: I really thought the space theme worked best for that kind of ride. That said, other than the lift course, it looks like they preserved much of the intense darkness of the ride and it generally rides like the same ride. LOVE that park - only been there once, but my rides on Wodan will be forever ingrained in my head: that was the hit of the park for me, with Silver Star another (somewhat) unexpected treat (Love that behind the scenes footage, where they appear to actually let people stand unattached to the midcourse break run as the train sails through -- somehow I don't see US parks letting that happen without full attorney releases?). I actually didn't LOVE Blue Fire as much as I expected. Things are such much better for me on initial rides if I go in with lower or no expectations -- that way I can actually experience the ride as it is, rather than as I expected (or wanted) it to be.

sounds heavenly

I had the same dilemma at that park. yeah, as I wrote in a brief report of my trip yesterday to SFOT in the other thread, the surprise hit of the visit was Mr. Freeze. I had NO idea it was that intense, and it had me cackling (and clinging on for dear life) throughout the ride. Super intense. I loved it.

Probably New Texas Giant, but Mr. Freeze's Reverse Blast is pretty high up there on my list, now.

I must get to Poland. An RMC and an airtime Intamin hyper in one park, and all the other goodies? Sign me up.

Went to this park for the first time yesterday. I was playing hooky from a conference and so I only had a few hours in the park in the morning /afternoon. A couple of observations: * I was pleasantly surprised how relatively lush / full of trees it seemed * It "felt" like an older, quainter park in some respects. For example, the walkaways seemed narrower, and the park was a navigational nightmare, with bizarre dead-ends and cross-overs everywhere, but I (somewhat) enjoyed being utterly lost at certain points without a map. Would have been more fun if the park wasn't pretty jammed pack. * The Reverse Mr. Freeze blast was the surprise hit of the trip. Mother-of-god: that thing was a whole lot more powerful and wild than I was expecting. A sat in the last (which was really the first) car, and it was spectacular fun (maybe just a tad rough, but I loved it). I can't remember being as startled and surprised with a ride in long time. *. The New Texas Giant grew on me as both it (and I) warmed up in the day. I thought the back seat ride was a bit better in terms of air, and I appreciated that the ride ops did not staple me as compared to Steel Vengeance. Lots of fun. But, in truth, Steel Vengeance has somewhat spoiled me as my first RMC. * I loved the nostalgia of the Shockwave and had my first grey-out experience ever on the loops (which is weird because the G's didn't seem that extreme?). Maybe I am getting old? Surprising airpops in the back, but some of the transitions were a bit roughish. Loved all the swaying track / supports. * I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Titan (despite the ridiculously intense mid course full stop). I thought the first helix was surprisingly intense. I sure wish I could have experienced the second helix without such a strong midcourse - how much lighter was the midcourse in its initial season? Overall, lots of fun and pretty good operations too.

It seems to me that it's a way to have multiple blocks without using drive-wheels to bring the train to a stop or to move the train. Plus one would think that the friction brakes are probably cheaper than magnetic brakes or drive wheels. I would have thought drive wheels would be cheaper? And zero maintenance or moving parts on magnetic brakes.

I wouldn't say now. They have been doing this since at least 2010 . . . sorry, right, I first noticed with Leviathan, but perhaps it was earlier. Question remains.

Does anybody know (or have a theory) why B&M is now building those long, downwardly inclined brake runs on the drop coasters (and maybe others)? I thought Valravyn's odd brake run was a functioning of needing to have the brake run unusually high to allow for the marina entrance, but I see they are doing the same thing on Yukon Striker. Just seems really inefficient to have a whole series of friction brakes gradually slowing the train as it slides down the run?

Raptor is awesome and incredibly intense. This is madness.

I've actually been praying for exactly that ever since I learned it was possible.

with respect, Chicago winters can be degrees of magnitude colder (having lived in both Boston and Chicago, I can attest to Chicago winters having some horrific wind chill days and deep dips, even if the high averages in January are only about 5 degrees apart between the cities.). You also have to remember that the parks are willing to lose some days for weather. Like yeah... if it’s a high of 10 degrees the park is going to close that day and they’re cool with that. New England didn’t open for like 5 days and they considered it enough of a success to state that on a conference call and then expanded the event to Great America after seeing how that performed (though it did get down to 10 degrees one night in New England last year and Mind Eraser ran in it). So amazing that they can run these rides that cold. I will definitely check it out. With a tauntaun, of course.

Agreed. And I suspect we will see 3-train operation with a functioning mid-course block next year, if not on Halloweekends. This isn't an example where capacity is not materially affected.

with respect, Chicago winters can be degrees of magnitude colder (having lived in both Boston and Chicago, I can attest to Chicago winters having some horrific wind chill days and deep dips, even if the high averages in January are only about 5 degrees apart between the cities.).

Dark Knight is obvious, Batman the Ride is confirmed on the website, Joker and Superman are shown in B Roll from Great Adventure which is not a confirmation, but it’s also highly plausible. My assumption would be Dark Knight and the B&Ms will run (aside from Raging Bull as that area will likely be closed). Anything else in that area is a crapshoot though I’d lean towards all of them being closed aside from the kiddy coasters if I had to venture a guess. That’s totally based on me flat out guessing based on what they’re doing elsewhere though. Seems reasonable. Will be interesting to ride something like Batman if we get one of those polar vortices.

I'll be very curious to see what coaster runs in the Chicago Christmas cold . . . .

Sometimes things are *designed* a certain way but things don't always go according to plan because there are peaks and valleys in the design process. Mostly the latter... No, I got that. I was just confused because it sounded (to me, at least) like some people were saying that it was never designed to be a true block, and that made no sense to me. I think what most are saying is that it is not presently functioning as a block -- but it could later on (unless they blew the design, and I somehow doubt that RMC couldn't figure out the momentum needed to return to the station from the block.)

Or even better, if it's a variable lift motor, then can dispatch almost whenever and the lift hill will adjust the speed until it clears the block, or worst case scenario, stop the lift until it clears the first block. The run time from the top of the lift to the first set of brakes is about 1:25, so 1:45 dispatches are probably the best case scenario, meaning about 800 pph (if in fact the mid-course brake isn't a block). But has that been confirmed by anyone at CP or RMC that the mid-course cannot be a block (it appears to have two different sets of brakes on it)? I am confused why it wouldn't be designed to be a block? Indeed, the theoretical capacity advertised by CP is 1,200 pph and that number wouldn't make sense -- even if those numbers are frequently perfect-case aspirational figures that are rarely (if ever) hit, I think they usually don't list impossible numbers, and anything north of 800-ish pph would indeed be impossible without that mid-course block.

Assuming this poll is really "which ride are you most looking forward to based on the conceptual designs" (because, obviously, no one has ridden anything for their to be any "battle"), I responded Copperhead Strike because it seems like the most complete ride of three, or at least the one I will enjoy the most because it *appears* to have some launching, some airtime moments, some drops and some curves, and lasts more than 30 seconds (compared to MaxxForce). In terms of which "launch" are you most excited about, the obvious answer is Maxx Force -- by a landslide.

I dunno, I found the SV trains and restrains to be absurdly comfortable (but I am 6 foot and of "normal" proportions). I shudder (in excitement) at the thought that Storm Chaser has more intense bucking than SV, given that the final run into the final break on SV seems full of "awkward bucking." (I also think Iron Rattler is less intense than SV.)

Even the Labor Day weekend is typically not THAT busy compared to true summer weekends, in my experience (have probably done 4 Labor Day weekends).

I think you partly answered your own question. Because of its location and tourist traffic, Knotts has a certain built-in draw that likely doesn't necessitate the same type of capital investment to get strong continued attendance. In contrast, cedar fair is really trying to make the two CW's strong destination parks, and thus putting massive capital into them. Just a guess, but there is an obvious difference in investment dollars.

Yes, the Mack for Carowinds. But, yeah, a few less familiar faces, doing less familiar rides (for the US). I like it. I like the change, and some of the rides look pretty unique. Of course, I do protest that lack of RMCs. There can never be enough of those.

yeah, it's my hometown park as well, but I haven't there very often, unfortunately. Having Cedar Point (relatively) close is a competitive challenge. But SFGAm's coaster collection is pretty solid, and getting better. They do have a solid line-up with Goliath, Raging Bull, Batman, and so forth. But, like you mentioned, I find myself making the drive to Cedar Point, King's Island, and even Holiday World more often than Six Flags. It is with great shame that I write that I have never been to Holiday World, despite living in Chicago for 17 years . . . .